In re Reynolds

369 S.W.3d 638, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 3878, 2012 WL 1721786
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 16, 2012
DocketNo. 12-10-00176-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 369 S.W.3d 638 (In re Reynolds) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Reynolds, 369 S.W.3d 638, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 3878, 2012 WL 1721786 (Tex. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

BRIAN HOYLE, Justice.

James Michael Reynolds, Pelhams Industrial Warehouse, Inc., and Texas Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company (Farm Bureau) are defendants in a personal injury action filed by the real party in interest, Richard Sharp. Reynolds and Pelhams, Relators, request a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to (1) sever Sharp’s claim against Texas Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company (Farm Bureau) and, following severance, to (2) grant Relators’ motion to transfer venue, and (3) transfer Sharp’s claims against Relators to Tarrant County. The respondent is the Honorable Charles R. Mitchell, Judge of the 273rd Judicial District Court, Shelby County, Texas. We conditionally grant the petition.

Procedural Background

Richard Sharp filed a personal injury action in Shelby County to recover damages he sustained in an accident involving his vehicle and an eighteen wheeler driven by James Michael Reynolds. Sharp alleges that Reynolds caused the accident. [645]*645Pelhams Industrial Warehouse, Inc. is Reynolds’s employer. Sharp seeks damages from both Reynolds and Pelhams, and alleges they were underinsured motorists at the time of the accident.

Sharp also alleges that, at the time of the accident, he had an insurance policy issued by Farm Bureau’s predecessor that provided for underinsured motorist (UIM) benefits. He asserts that all conditions precedent to recovery under the policy have been satisfied and seeks the policy limits for UIM benefits.

Relators each filed a general denial subject to a motion to transfer venue in which each asserted that Sharp had not pleaded any facts showing that venue is proper in Shelby County. To the contrary, they urged, Sharp alleged that Reynolds is a resident of Tarrant County, Pelhams is a company doing business and having its principal office in Tarrant County, and the accident occurred in Johnson County. They asserted that these allegations showed venue was not proper in Shelby County, but was proper in Tarrant County. Accordingly, Relators requested that the case be transferred to Tarrant County pursuant to the general venue statute.1 Sharp filed a response opposing the motions, and Relators filed a reply to his response. After a hearing, the trial court denied the motions to transfer venue without specifying a reason.2

Relators then filed a joint motion to sever, subject to their motions to transfer venue, alleging that Farm Bureau had been improperly joined in the suit and that Sharp’s claim against Farm Bureau was “neither ripe nor a part of the underlying liability matter.” They alleged further that Sharp had not pleaded the “inextricably intertwined” elements or factual support necessary to support Farm Bureau’s joinder. Accordingly, they asserted that “it is difficult to understand why same is included in this lawsuit at all other than for impermissible purposes such as shadow parties to establish venue or to otherwise attempt to place the issue of insurance coverage (and the amount of such coverage) before the fact finder.” Relators also filed a joint motion for reconsideration of their motions to transfer venue. The motion for reconsideration included a supplemental motion to sever. It also incorporated by reference Relators’ original motions to transfer venue, all supporting briefing, and their motion to sever, “as it relates to [Sharp’s] potential claim that may not exist as to [Farm Bureau].”

Sharp responded that venue is proper in Shelby County, citing the mandatory venue statute for suits pertaining to uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.3 He also reurged his previous arguments in opposition to the venue motions and disputed Relators’ ripeness and severance arguments.

In a telephonic hearing, the trial court denied Relators’ motion for severance, but did not sign a written order. Thereafter, Sharp filed a motion requesting the trial court to (1) vacate its prior order denying Relators’ motions to transfer venue; (2) grant Sharp leave to file supplemental evidence; (3) reconsider Relators’ motions to [646]*646transfer venue and motion to sever; and (4) deny the motions. In a second telephonic hearing, the trial court granted Sharp’s motion in its entirety without specifying a reason. Relators then filed this original proceeding challenging the trial court’s order denying reconsideration of their motions for severance and transfer of venue. They also filed a motion for emergency relief. We granted the motion, and stayed the proceedings in the trial court until further order of this court.

Availability of Mandamus

Mandamus is an extraordinary remedy. In re Sw. Bell Tel. Co., L.P., 235 S.W.3d 619, 623 (Tex.2007) (orig. proceeding). To obtain mandamus relief, the relator must show that (1) the trial court clearly abused its discretion, and (2) the benefits of mandamus outweigh the detriments to the extent that an appellate remedy is inadequate. In re Poly-America, 262 S.W.3d 337, 347 (Tex.2008) (orig. proceeding).

A trial court clearly abuses its discretion if it reaches a decision so arbitrary and unreasonable as to amount to a clear and prejudicial error of law. Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 839 (Tex.1992) (orig. proceeding). With respect to resolution of factual issues or matters committed to the trial court’s discretion, the relator must establish that the trial court could reasonably have reached only one decision. Id. at 839-40. We cannot disturb the trial court’s decision unless it is shown to be arbitrary and unreasonable, even if we would have decided the issue differently. Id. at 840. However, a trial court has no discretion in determining what the law is or applying the law to the facts. Id. Thus, a clear failure by the trial court to analyze or apply the law correctly will constitute an abuse of discretion and may result in appellate reversal by extraordinary writ. Id.

In providing guidance for determining whether an appellate remedy is adequate, the Texas Supreme Court has noted that the operative word, “adequate,” has no comprehensive definition. In re Prudential Ins. of Am., 148 S.W.3d 124, 136 (Tex.2004) (orig. proceeding). Instead, it is simply a proxy for the careful balance of jurisprudential considerations that determine when appellate courts will use original mandamus proceedings to review the actions of lower courts. Id. These considerations include both public and private interests, and the determination is practical and prudential rather than abstract or formulaic. Id. Thus, the adequacy of an appellate remedy must be determined by balancing the benefits of mandamus review against the detriments. In re Team Rocket, L.P., 256 S.W.3d 257, 262 (Tex.2008) (orig. proceeding).

When the benefits of mandamus review outweigh the detriments, appellate courts must consider whether the appellate remedy is adequate. Id. “Mandamus will not issue when the law provides another, plain, adequate, and complete remedy.” In re Tex. Dep’t of Family and Protective Servs., 210 S.W.3d 609, 613 (Tex.2006).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
369 S.W.3d 638, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 3878, 2012 WL 1721786, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-reynolds-texapp-2012.